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Martin's homer provides early offense in tie game

Wandy strikes out two in hitless return from 2013 forearm injury

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By Tom Singer
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MLB.com |

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Russell Martin snapped a 1-1 tie with a third-inning homer, but Cameron Seitzer came through for Tampa Bay with a solo shot in the ninth as the Pirates and Rays tied, 2-2, in 10 innings of Spring Training baseball on Saturday.

The Bucs were encouraged by left-handed starter Wandy Rodriguez, who pitched a hitless inning as he began his comeback from a forearm injury that forced him to miss the last four months of the 2013 season.

Rodriguez's second pitch of the game had hit Sean Rodriguez, who came around on a pair of errors -- the second off the bat of Wil Myers -- to give the Rays a 1-0 lead.

"I feel good. Normal," said Rodriguez, who missed the rest of the 2013 season after leaving his June 6 start with a strained elbow. "I mixed in everything -- curve, two- and four-seam fastballs. I had good location.

"On my first pitch, I felt a little nervous. After that, the key was just concentration, putting the ball wherever I want -- and that's what I did."

"I felt good. That's a positive. ... My body feels good, " said Price. "[The objective was to] just establish the strike zone, especially with my fastball, and just feel good when you're done. That's the biggest thing the first couple of outings. You're not used to throwing, sitting on the bench and going back out there. ... That's the biggest thing right now, just getting used to the up-and-downs, and feeling good."

Pirates Up Next: The Bucs' first National League competition of the spring will bring them face to face with former ace A.J. Burnett, who is scheduled to start for the Phillies against them in Clearwater, Fla., on MLB.TV at 1:05 p.m. ET. Stolmy Pimentel -- a long-shot possibility to replace Burnett in the Pirates' rotation -- will oppose him.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.